View Full Version : 60 year old woman did NOT complete the 60 miles....
Don't know if you all remember me....had a 60 mile hike planned in SNP..Started out on October 6...on the second day out, my IT Band decided it had had enough and became incredibly painful. Hadn't had issues with it for decades. Seriously bummed. Took a zero at Pinefield Hut to rest it...the remnants of Tropical Storm Nate blew through....then we started out again....I could do the uphills and the level sections with no problem...I was absolutely strong enough....it was the downhills that killed me. I learned to do this little "two step"....I would lead with my right (injured leg), bring my left foot even to my right, and then step again. Very slow, but it was working. Until Wednesday....the storm had brought so many leaves down that you couldn't see the trail, much less the rocks underneath the leaves, and I managed to misstep with the right leg and further tweak the same freakin' knee....and at that point there was no way ....I couldn't do the level sections, the uphills, the downhills....nothing. It was time to call it quits if I ever wanted to walk again...
To say I was bummed would be an understatement. Had trained for months for this event....completed 42 miles....but not 60.
BUT....I DID complete a section hike of the AT. I DID learn an incredible amount. I DID see a bear (who saw me...we looked at each other a a few moments while he tried to figure out what I was and when I clacked my sticks together and shouted "bear bear", he graciously ambled off) . I DID experience "trail magic". I DID have the blueberry ice-cream at Big Meadows. I DID take a zero. I DID go the wrong way for 1.6 miles because I thought I knew the way and didn't consult the little sign (huge lesson learned). I DID pack the right amount of clothes. I DID learn how to filter water, interact with people at a shelter, ignore mice, shared my little bit of whiskey,.....all kinds of stuff. So, yeah....I didnt complete the 60 miles, but it was an incredible life changing hike. Can't wait to get back out there.
So here's my question to you all..... other experiences with IT Band Syndrome? Best treatments? Rehab? The stuff on the internet is all over the place....What have been your experiences with all this?
Thanks,
k
I'm more of a distance runner than a hiker, but with that said, ITB injuries are somewhat common. What helped me was a foam roller -- lay on your side with the side of your knee on the roller such that your body weight will be supported by the roller and your elbow, then "roll" up/down. Do as much of your leg as you can, all the way up to your hip. It may be a bit painful at first, but you'll get used to it. What the roller is doing is stretching the ITB by using your body weight to push inward. Stretching helps, rest helps, Advil helps, swimming helps (breast stroke kick to strengthen/stretch), and time helps the most.
Good luck to you.
Seatbelt
10-13-2017, 10:49
I had the same problems a few years ago, but someone on this website suggested the Chopat brace. I bought a couple of them and have had zero IT Band problems since. I wear them everytime I hike, backpack, jog, climb, etc.
Hope this helps;
https://www.healthproductsforyou.com/p-cho-pat-dual-action-knee-strap.html?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI8fX-z-vt1gIVAxppCh0KBwXXEAQYBCABEgL0YfD_BwE
Seatbelt
saltysack
10-13-2017, 10:59
I had the same problems a few years ago, but someone on this website suggested the Chopat brace. I bought a couple of them and have had zero IT Band problems since. I wear them everytime I hike, backpack, jog, climb, etc.
Hope this helps;
https://www.healthproductsforyou.com/p-cho-pat-dual-action-knee-strap.html?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI8fX-z-vt1gIVAxppCh0KBwXXEAQYBCABEgL0YfD_BwE
Seatbelt
+1
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
MuddyWaters
10-13-2017, 11:06
Give youself 4-6 weeks
The foam roller, and stretching helps imo.
Stretching increases bloodflow and speeds healing for tendonitis, which us what itb is.
Not just itb, but all lower leg shin muscles. When one gets overused and strained, your gait changes, and everything goes to heck quick. Its possible the itb wasnt the first item to flare up, but the most debilitating.
Next time, slow down. Use poles to take the impact off your steps and it probably wont reoccur.
I hiked 35 miles with stiff leg once when it happened. Never happened again. Im super sensitive to impact going downhill now. I als make sur I have 8 ibuprofen tabs per day on trail from town. Without them i couldnt have hiked to town.
And i run a lot year round to condition muscles to impacts
Ive hiked 1000-1500 miles since, no recurring issue. But once you been there....you take precautions.
grubbster
10-13-2017, 11:08
I had the same issue although not as severe. A combination of stretching and hip abductor exercises fixed mine. I would not use a brace unless it was a last resort as I think they actually weaken muscles more. They are literally a crutch.
Foam rolling and rest helped. Then I very gradually added in weighted exercise to strengthen the area. Mine had gotten to the point where it even hurt to drive. NSAIDS did not help mine at all.
YMMV
SteelCut
10-13-2017, 11:15
IT Band Syndrome sucks. My rehab started with rest, followed with specific IT Band stretches and later included lots of lower body resistance work on weight machines. Abductor and adductor machines were especially beneficial to develop hip/pelvic muscles and stability. I haven't had any problems in over 2 years. During my hikes I include the IT Band stretches as part of my normal routine and if I am feeling any issues during the day I will stop and do a quick set of IT Band stretches. It really helps.
Seatbelt
10-13-2017, 11:22
I had the same issue although not as severe. A combination of stretching and hip abductor exercises fixed mine. I would not use a brace unless it was a last resort as I think they actually weaken muscles more. They are literally a crutch.
I should have added that I started doing exercises also to prevent recurrence. I am not a medical professional but I would question whether the braces actually weaken the muscles, maybe if one doesn't exercise them sufficiently I suppose it is possible. I actually may not NEED them now , but I wear them as a precaution.
Hatchet_1697
10-13-2017, 11:59
I think the birth certificate is wrong and your body is telling you you’re really only 42, that’s why it stopped you. :) Over 50 is very diff than under 50, a lot more stretching, care, conditioning, and Motrin involved. You did well, have an adventure to share, received great advice on addressing the problem area (see previous posts), and technically a full year to knock out 60. You could even count the 1.6... it was still in SNP after all.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro
Time Zone
10-13-2017, 12:12
So here's my question to you all..... other experiences with IT Band Syndrome? Best treatments? Rehab? The stuff on the internet is all over the place....What have been your experiences with all this?
Thanks,
k
Trekking poles helped me, but they are no cure. They help me just enough to make the difference between being able to hike and not being able to hike.
You are right, info on IT band syndrome is all over the place, in part because there's no real cure, reliable treatment, or even agreement on what exactly causes it. Research continues. I have read (largely paywalled) what Paul Ingraham has published about it at painscience.com (look under tutorials, IT Band Syndrome). [Ingraham is Assistant Editor at sciencebasedmedicine.org, a resource I trust.]
As best I can tell, the state of things is that many people are trying a lot of different things (stretching, rolling, resting, surgery, etc) and seeing what works for them. My own experience is that rest helped, but only to a point. And surprisingly, a lighter load did not help; I've experienced plenty of pain carrying nothing at all, just walking down the steep hills near where I live. So UL won't save you from ITBS. For me, a combo of trekking pole use, and a bit of Sherpa-step, really puts the pain on such a back burner that it's not an issue. I know it's there lurking, but I can keep focused on good technique, and thus keep going for strenuous hikes (e.g., difficulty rating 16+).
Hope you find something that works for you.
Uncle Joe
10-13-2017, 12:13
I had a bout with ITBS and stretching seemed to be ticket. Find some good ITB stretching routines and run through them.
Rolling and stretching (with Yoga the best IMO). Best of luck getting back to 100%.
Time Zone
10-13-2017, 12:18
PS I tried the Chopat brace and I felt that any benefit from it was outweighed by the significant discomfort of the brace itself. Jumper's knee straps just got out of position quickly and didn't do much for me. YMMV.
Last winter I gave myself the task to hike 100km (62 miles) in one stretch.
Started late in the evening, and after 30km I had developed terrible pain in the left knee, not the IT, but the tendon on the inner side of the left knee.
So I was sitting in a railway station (where I just happened to have passed by) at 1:00 am, unable to move on, weeping from frustration.
Then I remembered the Art of Taping, which I had a lecture at, long time ago.
I had a roll of tape (Leukotape Classic) in the pack, so I started to tape my knee, remembering what the PT lectured us then: "substitute the strained tendons by pieces of tape".
Placed one, two, three stripes of tape x-shaped across the inner side of the knee - no effect. Placed a 4th stripe giving it a little pre-tension - Done!
I stood up, zero pain, and finished the 100km hike. Took me 16hrs total. I was really miserable at the end, The whole body was in pain, but the inner tendon on the left knee held up just fine!
(The only problem was, that the Leukotape Classic held so strong that a good chunk of skin went off when removing it.)
I think its worth the effort to learn about Taping.
Sorry, typo: this was 26hrs, not 16.
So....I guess I'll do "all of the above". I DID use trekking poles the entire time...they really helped. I work out right often with at least 2 strength training sessions per week, but I'll start spending more time on the hip abductor and adductor machines. I'm gonna try a knee brace....too inexpensive no to give it a go. And the stretching will be incorporated as well. AND foam rolling, as much as I hate it! I'm thinking it WILL be 4-6 weeks of recovery since I walked on it (if you want to call it "walking") for days after the initial "ouch" . I got off the trail Wednesday evening....its now Friday afternoon and I'm still quite tender, so this is gonna be a slower process than I would like, but it is what it is. THANKS to all of you for your responses. You are all so kind.
Also, I'm experiencing this feeling of melancholy similar to "day after Christmas blues".....I trained and planned for this hike since last March...and now its done. I've gotten past the point of being upset that I didn't complete the 60 miles....but now its a matter of "what am I supposed to do now?" lol. Its the strangest feeling.....is this normal?
Sorry, typo: this was 26hrs, not 16.
When I read 16 I was highly impressed. 26........... :)
Kaptainkriz
10-13-2017, 18:15
My IT band stopped bothering me when I switched to zero drop shoes. Streching and rolling did not work for me. Lengthening the poles downhill, lighter load, and slower downhill speeds helped me. Like cspan mentioned, it does not appear to be fully understood yet.
Time Zone
10-13-2017, 18:26
Also, I'm experiencing this feeling of melancholy similar to "day after Christmas blues".....I trained and planned for this hike since last March...and now its done. I've gotten past the point of being upset that I didn't complete the 60 miles....but now its a matter of "what am I supposed to do now?" lol. Its the strangest feeling.....is this normal?
Probably! First, you should be proud of what you were able to do; you're not the first person to be stopped (temporarily) by injury. Do consult a medical doctor about your knee pain. You never know, it might not be ITBS. Best to have an expert look at it, and be sure to tell them of your hiking goals.
But it does sound like you put a lot of emotional investment into this particular hike, so a great deal was riding on it. You may find more peace of mind by not putting all your "emotional eggs" in one basket. Spread your bets, as it were. Join a local hiking group, and do 5 mi here, 10 mi there, etc. If you've been doing that as part of training for your 60, good, go back to that when you can. Or maybe, when you're able, go back and finish the last 18 of your 60! :)
Staying injury-free is a big part of hiking -- knowing and respecting one's bodily limits, listening carefully to signals from our muscles, bones, joints, heart, lungs, etc.
A lot of injuries happen late in the day when we're tired, getting careless, light fading, etc. Or when we're trying to be badass, or trying to keep up with faster hikers. It can be a slow, ongoing condition that precedes the injury over hours or days, or it can be a single bad step.
I don't know anything about IT-band injuries. I do know that when my feet hurt, I deal with it sooner rather than later. Walking through a lot of pain is generally not a good idea.
I have intermittent ITB issues, mostly in one hip. At one point it was nearly debilitating. Now I manage it effectively with stretching, occasional rubs/liniments, rolling, and a massage therapist that knows her business. The better my conditioning the less severe the flare-ups - I now get a slight twinge every few days whereas 6-8 months ago I had serious discomfort 1-2 days a week.
Find the combination of all these suggestions that work for you. The ITB is a small muscle at your hip connected to a LONG tendon. "Classic" ITB syndrome causes pain on the side of the knee - mine tends to be more focused at the hip with an occasional tweak at the knee. The only constant we all "enjoy" is that it hurts and we all get varying degrees of relief from an assortment of techniques.
Congratulations on getting out there, learning, experiencing, and enjoying (as best you could given the circumstances.)
With this experience you'll be well on your way to chewing up larger sections in no time.
LadyBugg
10-13-2017, 21:58
I just finished up 40 miles of a planned 52 mile section. I had trouble with my IT band as well. It was so painful. Downhill was the worst, but eventually up hill began hurting. I did use the cho-pat as recommended here on the forum as well as from a section hiker I met last year. While it may work for some, it doesn’t work for everyone.
I’ve read a lot about the issue and it can become irritated when you start hiking more mileage than you’re used to.
Proper stretching does help, but only temporarily - especially when you’re 8 miles in on a 14 mile day.
Rest is really what is needed. The stretching and foam rolling are a bonus. If you do foam roll, roll the entire leg (hamstrings, upper thigh, calves) and not just the side of the thigh.
I’m thinking next time I’m taking a small foam roller with me to help loosen the muscles while backpacking. I’m also thinking it’s time for me to seek professional advice if I want to continue (it was that bad).
Congrats on your accomplishment of a section hike!
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
LadyBugg
10-13-2017, 22:13
Oh and the feeling is normal after finishing a hike. I didn’t beat myself up this time for not completing a mileage goal, because I realized that I did what I needed to do that was best for myself.
There was another backpacking excursion that I took with friends where I had to opt out on day 2 of the hike due to my toes hammering the inside of my boots on the downhills. I didn’t know about properly tying them to prevent that at the time. I don’t even where boots these days. ;) I did however feel a bit depressed when I got home. However, when I looked back on it - if I had pressed on, I most likely would have nerve damage.
They say hike your own hike. I like to think that taking care of yourself is an important part of that mantra.
I would also like to add that I exercise every day and a lot of what I do incorporates the leg muscles (all of them) in one way or another due to the program and how it is a total body workout. Even with those strengthening exercises - I still had issues with my IT band.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
When I read 16 I was highly impressed. 26........... :)
Malto! I've put the correction in there just for you <G>
The purpose of this 100km-task was, to have some training for a 120km (72miles) / 24hr Flat Lake challenge, a mate talked me into.
Started training out of the blue with a 60km walk, but man, this was hard, had to fight very hard to go 45km, then stopped.
Did a 60km two weeks later, then a 75km again two weeks later, and the 100km I've mentioned above.
Went sick during a final 120km training attempt, and had to skip the challenge.
Each of those training hikes were extremely hard for me, after the first few hours which were fun I had to fight all sorts of pain, fatigue and exhaustion up to a level I'd never belived I could fight.
My friend who had talked me into this 24hrs Flat Lake challenge finished it in about 19hrs (he's a Marathon routinier and actually ran half of the distance, and walked the other half)
Its exactly like somebody stated above: Just staying healthy, to not get injured during a longer hiking event is a task by itself, and a seriouse one.
Patting shoulders and thumbs up to kbstock, to try and attempt such a hike, and never let yourself feel defeated. Just having tried is a big feat in itself, and if you got hooked into this and will try again, this is even better!
Berserker
10-19-2017, 09:57
This may be slightly off topic, but I'm just curious if you were at Bearfence Hut on 10/14. I was there and met a lady who was having some difficulties, and I was wondering if that was you.
colorado_rob
10-19-2017, 10:25
We're both the same age.... kinda a bummer getting older, eh? Beats the alternative...
Anyway, just in the last few years I've had tendon problems all over my legs, including my Achilles, my ITB and some other knee tendon, can't remember its name, but as with your IT thing, the downhills were the worst. We bailed short on a nice long AT section this spring because of this.
Finally after my wife bugged me constantly, I relented and started PT on a semi-regular basis, and voila! Finally everything went away. Of course the PT therapy involved lots and lots of very specific stretching and exercises.
So bottom line, if you haven't done so on a regular basis, try Physical Therapy.
So here's my question to you all..... other experiences with IT Band Syndrome? Best treatments? Rehab? The stuff on the internet is all over the place....What have been your experiences with all this?
Thanks,
k
a properly placed strap (they make ones specifically for IT band issues, but ive used just a belt or some other generic thing several times) works wonders for me.
i had reoccuring pain for months once. would seem fine for a few days, then i'd move or bend my leg a certain way and all hell would break loose.
strapping it almost immediately cured it and after maybe a week of wearing it everyday i took the strap off and have never had a reoccurrence of that severity.
Disclaimer: I know nothing about ITB and have no idea if this applies but since Rob opened the PT door I thought it might help someone to know my experience.
At 50yo I dislocated my foot about as severely as one can. I just happened to luck out having literally the foremost surgeon in the world(yeah, sure how many times have we heard this?)in my local area and he had a new procedure which would give me approximately 10 years of pain free use followed by increasing arthritis, eventually to the point where I'd need it fused- which was the only other option. So screws, pins and lots of PT and good as new unless I really hammered it with like lots of running. I figured that was a great outcome and predictably after 10 years it seemed to bother me more. Now at 17 years, it occasionally hurts a fair amount but the thought of fusing and losing some range of motion just wasn't a good option and I'm not one to sissy out from a little pain so I went ahead with my plan to do a week on the AT.
To do that I started local walks with my loaded pack and to my great surprise while it wasnt a pain free situation I started to feel like the extra weight was improving my foot. Then I did my hike a few weeks ago with 40lbs and for two days nearly 50lbs...result? Painfree hike and better overall function than since the injury.
After talking with several doctors and PT providers I found that its apparently common to stop PT when strength and range of motion etc are normal BUT what we really need is to build up both to a point well beyond normal so that the natural tendency to loose some of that strength and range when you stop PT, ends up with you being normal or better as opposed to stopping earlier and then "sliding" back to sub standard. Also its never too late to do more PT...which apparently in my case only needed to be walking a rock garden trail like the AT in PA with a heavy pack.
So my point is PT can be a life changer and does not necessitate visiting a therapist or doctor in all cases. YMMV
We're both the same age.... kinda a bummer getting older, eh? Beats the alternative...
So bottom line, if you haven't done so on a regular basis, try Physical Therapy.
Should have said "in my case mean my prep walking before the AT hike" and also that the hike itself obviously did a lot to improve things further. Needless to say with a clear, major benefit, I'm now a hiker. I should probably also mention as a avid fairly hardcore mountain biker, I work my feet pretty hard and long including lots of "hike a bike" pushing but that never gave the result I've had from the hike. So the right therapy is of course a must to get results
Oh and the feeling is normal after finishing a hike. I didn’t beat myself up this time for not completing a mileage goal, because I realized that I did what I needed to do that was best for myself.
There was another backpacking excursion that I took with friends where I had to opt out on day 2 of the hike due to my toes hammering the inside of my boots on the downhills. I didn’t know about properly tying them to prevent that at the time. I don’t even where boots these days. ;) I did however feel a bit depressed when I got home. However, when I looked back on it - if I had pressed on, I most likely would have nerve damage.
They say hike your own hike. I like to think that taking care of yourself is an important part of that mantra.
I would also like to add that I exercise every day and a lot of what I do incorporates the leg muscles (all of them) in one way or another due to the program and how it is a total body workout. Even with those strengthening exercises - I still had issues with my IT band.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Hey LadyBugg....Thanks for the encouragement...I have worked out fervishly since March prepping for this hike...all the strength training involved in a "total body work out", including targeting the hip abductors and hip adductors muscles. I was just stunned that it was my IT band that brought the whole thing to a halt. I'm over (almost) the disappointment of not finishing....it'lll be Spring before I can get out there again....but what to do between now and then? More of the same? I'm thinking I'll start out with a few shorter hikes, see how I do.
The rest of my body felt great...backs, legs, shoulders, feet...even mentally I was good. This that daggone IT band....grrrrr...
This may be slightly off topic, but I'm just curious if you were at Bearfence Hut on 10/14. I was there and met a lady who was having some difficulties, and I was wondering if that was you.
Wasnt me...I was off the trail on October 12. But good lord, do I remember hobbling down Bearfence...couldnt see the rocks for all the leaves blown down from TS Nate....it was a grind!
I've accomplished some pretty amazing things while failing at my original goal. You didn't make it 60 miles but you never would have gone 42 miles if you hadn't tried for the 60.